On 29 June 2020, the Council of the European Union have included eleven officials in the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to asset freezing measures and a travel ban. The listed individuals are deemed responsible for serious human rights violations and for the repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Venezuela.

In view of the continuing deterioration of democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Venezuela, the Council expanded the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures and a travel ban by adding 11 new individuals to the list (Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/897 and Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/898). This decision brings the total number of individuals under sanctions to 36.

The individuals added to the list are responsible notably for acting against the democratic functioning of the National Constituent Assembly, including by stripping the parliamentary immunity of several members of its members, including its president, Juan Guaidó. The 11 listed officials are the following:

1. José Adelino Ornelas Ferreira, Secretary-General of the National Defence Council;
2. Gladys del Valle Requena, Member and Second Vice-President of the non-recognised National Constituent Assembly;
3. Tania Valentina Diaz González, Member and First Vice-President of the non-recognised National Constituent Assembly;
4. Elvis Eduardo Hidrobo Amoroso, Comptroller General and former First and Second Vice-President of the non-recognised National Constituent Assembly;
5. Juan José Mendoza Jover, Second Vice-President of the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) and President of the Constitutional Chamber of the TSJ;
6. Jorge Elieser Marquez Monsalve, Director-General of the National Commission of Telecommunications;
7. Farik Karin Mora Salcedo, Prosecutor serving at the Venezuelan First Special Court of First Instance with an office within the Directorate-General of Military Counter-Intelligence;
8. Dinorah Yoselin Bustamante Puerta, Prosecutor serving at the Venezuelan First Special Court of First Instance, with an office within the Directorate-General of Military Counter-Intelligence;
9. Luis Eduardo Parra Rivero, Member and illegitimately elected President of the National Assembly;
10. Franklyn Leonardo Duarte, Member and illegitimately elected first Vice-President of the National Assembly;
11. José Gregorio Noriega Figueroa, Member and illegitimately elected second Vice-President of the National Assembly.

The EU sanctions on Venezuela were initially adopted on 13 November 2017 and aim to foster democratic solutions towards political stability in the country through a ban on arms and equipment for internal repression as well as asset-freezing measures (Council Regulation (EU) 2017/2063 and Council Decision (CFSP) 2017/2047).

Please also refer to our 2018 alert regarding the previous update of the Venezuela sanctions by the EU.